Trump Rejects Iran’s Proposal To Reopen Strait Of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump has rejected an Iranian proposal that would have ended hostilities and reopened the strategically important Strait of Hormuz within seven days.

Trump confirmed the rejection on Saturday, September 26, telling reporters outside the White House, “I reject their proposal.” He said Iran wanted an agreement to reopen the waterway because it was suffering significant economic losses.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had formally conveyed the seven-day roadmap to the United States through Qatar, following indirect discussions with US envoy Steve Witkoff.

Under the proposal, Iran said the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and normal maritime traffic restored within seven days if Washington met a number of conditions.

These included an immediate cessation of hostilities, the lifting of the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and a waiver of sanctions affecting Iranian oil sales. Iranian officials also said the proposal involved the release of about $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets.

Araghchi said the first steps of the proposed arrangement would take approximately four to five days, with the strait reopening on the sixth day. Talks on a broader agreement, including Iran’s nuclear programme, would then begin on the seventh day.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, said Tehran remained open to diplomacy but lacked confidence in Washington following previous rounds of negotiations and subsequent military action and sanctions. He said Iran was prepared to reopen the waterway if negotiations produced an agreement to end the conflict.

The Strait of Hormuz has remained a major flashpoint in the conflict because it is one of the world's most important oil and energy shipping routes. Disruptions to traffic through the waterway have contributed to concerns over global energy supplies and prices.

The diplomatic initiative featured prominently during the UN General Assembly in New York, where Iranian officials sought international support for a negotiated settlement.

Trump's rejection came amid continued uncertainty over the next phase of the conflict. The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed US officials, that the president was sceptical that Tehran would accept Washington's demands and expected renewed military action after the November US midterm elections.

However, Trump subsequently indicated that further discussions with Iran could still take place, leaving the diplomatic track open despite his rejection of Tehran's seven-day proposal.

Iran has maintained that it is willing to pursue a diplomatic solution while rejecting what its officials describe as threats, coercion and pressure from Washington.

The immediate future of the Strait of Hormuz therefore remains tied to the wider negotiations between Washington and Tehran, with no agreement yet reached on the conditions for reopening the waterway.